The bad news: Ryan Zimmerman is again not in the Nationals' starting lineup. The good news: He is listed on Davey Johnson's bench, so at this moment the Face of the Franchise hasn't been placed on the disabled list. I would seriously doubt Zimmerman is available to play tonight, though, because at the very least the Nationals want him to rest his ailing right shoulder for another day or two.

There's still no official word on Zimmerman's MRI results, which were expected to be revealed earlier today. As soon as anything is announced, I'll pass it along. (UPDATE:Here's the latest on Zim, in a new post.)

In the meantime, Chad Tracy (whose pinch-hit, two-run single last night propelled the Nationals to a 3-1 win) gets the nod at third base and will bat in Zimmerman's familiar No. 3 hole. Otherwise, Johnson's lineup has a typical look. Jordan Zimmermann gets the start.

As you know, I'm not in San Diego, so there won't be live updates. But as I said, check back for any news on the Zimmerman front…

Thanks, Mark. Will be interested in Z-man news if and when it becomes available.Nats: like I said earlier: go do that voodoo that you do so well. I am hoping for another happy morning game results email – no, wait. This one is on at a decent hour. Never mind.

Not to denegrate a player that I am becoming rather fond of, but Tracy led national league third basemen in errors with 25 each in 2004 and 2006. On the otherhand, his range was average. Whatever, 2-1 Nats win. Mattheus vultures the decision.

If Tracy really can handle 3B defensively, he's probably a better stopgap than DeRosa if Zim is gone for a substantial number of games. I have my doubts, but don't mind DJ giving him a shot at all. This team needs the best possible offensive substitute with Zim out of the lineup.

Oh, MicheleS, I love you! You have talked me back from the ledge, I have put away the sharp instruments and have unattached the garden hose from the car exhaust pipe. I really didn't want to believe the worst case scenario with Zim, and just want this magical ride to continue.Nats celebrate with an offensive explosion for J-Zimm and win, 3-1. Again.

trying to keep it light After seeing all the Maalox posts from the past few days and how I've felt watching the Nats, we could use a laugher tonight. Also, I think i am the only one I know checking the Caps score on Nats breaks this evening. My nerves can't take the abuse.

Sunshine, just tipping my Bartender! Happy to oblidge anytime!Poor Amanda. I think several of us on Twitter have been pestering her with RZ questions (since Mark Z isn't in SD). She probably wants to go on CSN and have a mass announcement to tell us all to quit flipping out and that everything will be okay. Can you imagine what we are going to be like by the end of the season?

MicheleS asked, "Can you imagine what we are going to be like by the end of the season?"OMG! I don't think I can make it until the end of April!! But actually it's fine, great really. I think all of us are just shocked from the amount of improvement in such a short period. It just seems this team "learned" to win these close games overnight. All last night, I kept expected Clipp or Burnett or MPH Rod to give up that ridiculous bloop hit that used to cost us these games. Now we are winning them. I have to chalk that up to Grandpa Davey. He's created a culture of winning. It's amazing.At least we won't be all walking around like zombies tomorrow morning with this late afternoon start. But Friday morning is another story. The bourbon is restocked, the Maalox is chilling over ice, I am set for the night. Is three runs too much to ask?

Yes, definitely an offensive explosion like our 4-0 whupping of the Mets where all 4runs were scored without putting the ball in play IIRC. On walk, WP, walk, and HBP (? – not sure of 4th run, maybe it was on an error?)Good times!

At the first ST game against Houston in Kissimmee this year, a veritable block party of NI regulars broke out in the first 2 rows behind the Nats dugout. I can tell you that very few of that group is overly suprised at this teams start.

From Amanda at the times…."Davey said Ryan Zimmerman had a cortisone shot on Saturday but they're thinking it might've missed the spot."…….that tells you all you ever need to know about Nats Medical Staff.Njack….I am happy with Ian D….really happy but Nady, DeRosa and that "best Bench Ever of DJ's……Seems you were wrong there? Would you admit it if you were?

It has been fun…I have been at each home game……you know as well as I do (or better)..they have been very lucky and that if they do not score more it will not last….are you thinking the pitching is historically best ever and it will last?

When the person applying the cortisone shot is dependent on the patient for the actual injection point, it's at best a guess especially in the shoulder. I know. I've had several.It's not like the back where they inject between spinal vertibrea. I've had those, too.

When the person applying the cortisone shot is dependent on the patient for the actual injection point, it's at best a guess especially in the shoulder. Um, if there's any doubt what the right spot would be, isn't that a good reason to do an MRI?

Now that they have an MRI, they CAN pinpoint the spot.Duh. Exactly. As soon as it was reported on Saturday that the docs said there was no structural damage but an MRI was not done, a number of people here questioned that decision. Now we find out that a cortisone shot administered without the benefit of the pinpointing that an MRI would provide was not successful. And still you act like there is no reason to complain about the medical staff. I understand that for mere mortals doctors don't run around doing expensive MRIs before trying some treatments like rest, advil, and even a cortisone shot. But this is the $100 million man, the most important player on the team. Shouldn't the most extensive medical care be available to him as soon as he complains about a condition that is going to keep him out of the lineup?

JayB I think if it was inflamed they have to wait to do the MRI (until that goes away) Probably gave the cortisone shot early in hopes that it would help. And can we please stop harping about the Medical Staff? We have no idea what goes on behind the scenes, that horse has been beaten to death.

I heard just yesterday on the radio that they have a new technique for using ultrasound to figure out exactly where to position cortisone shots. That suggests to me it's not so easy. So they have to use ultrasound (or MRI) to find it.

And the starry-eyed optimists will support retroactively bless each and every decision that the Nats' management makes. Seriously, those of you who say there's nothing to complain about here, are you really not pissed in the least that Zim's cortisone shot missed? Really? If the treatment had been done successfully he might have been well on the road to recovery by now. Instead, we'll next see him in the lineup in May 6. Is that really just fine with you?I think if it was inflamed they have to wait to do the MRI (until that goes away) Probably gave the cortisone shot early in hopes that it would help. MRIs can reveal inflammation. That's one of their many important advantages over x-rays.

I've had cortisone shots too. I know it's a bit of a guess where the right spot is. I don't make $15 million a year playing major league baseball for a division leading team whose offense (and defense) is significantly affected by my absence.

PTI = Pardon the Interruption, a long-running sports TV show. They also have a podcast you can download from iTunes. Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon (two ex-WaPo sports reporters) do the talking with misc. guests.

Michael Pineda is out for the year. Gotta believe they are going to trade for somebody. On another note, could a 6-man rotation possibly be in the works for the Nats??? Like many others, I have shot down this theory time and time again, however, never before have so many factors come into play to actually make this idea worth consideration:-having 6 legit starters-guys on IP limits (Stras, Detwiler, Wang)-number of times guys get more than 4 days rest anyways (schedule, rainouts, etc.)-chance at the playoffsStill not sure how I feel about this, but with Rizzo's defiant announcement that Wang was a starter, I have to believe they may be strongly considering this. What does everybody think?

Speaking only for myself, if I can't be a starry-eyed optimist when the team is 13-4, then I guess I'd better turn in my card to the Optimists Guild. Injuries happen, to teams that are leading the division and to teams that are in the basement. I can't control injuries, treatment, or even the team's W-L record. But I can control how I react to each of those. I'm gonna enjoy this wild ride while it lasts. As always, your collective mileage may vary. Go, NATS!!

NatsJack-That is the point of the 6-man rotation…to let things play out!!! Nobody said it would be forever. 3 MLB teams did this last year and the White Sox did it for the better part of 3 months until Jackson got traded to the Cards.

It's actually pretty easy to miss the spot for a cortisone injection. First of all, the "spot" isn't a set thing. I'm so glad that it's just a shot that's required. It sure sounded scarier when Davey was talking last night.Anyway. Let's get some runs for Jordan! I already have started on the bourbon. Just sayin.GYFNG!

Question for NatsJack in Florida. Did you play high school ball with a major league who pitched primarily with the White Sox. A friend of mine who played a decade later at the same high school said you did. The pitcher that played on your team, was a substitute teacher at the school when I was there, and I had him in 10th grade.

NatsJack — I completely agree that the Nats will never use a 6 man rotation. They want to see Gio and Stras and Znn and even E-Jax pitch every five days. But there's no reason to tell other commenters to "stop it" or "just let it play out." Everyone's entitled to their opinion even if it's different from yours.

I'm relieved that it MPHRod. Sometimes he will be the old Henry, but mostly he will be the new Henry. And Lidge doesn't have his out pitch anymore, good as he actually still is. And he is. In the 9th and 8th, you need a sure out pitch. Or WE need a sure out pitch, because you can only drink so much bourbon.

Go Henry! That's good news. Even if he struggles here and there, I feel a lot better about the 9th with him than with Lidge. Put Lidge back in the job you hired him for. He's just not a closer at this stage of his career, but he can still be effective in the right situations.

True, Exposremains. And how long has he had to learn? I always root for the Shark, but it's becoming pretty apparent that he's the textbook definition of a AAAA player. He's just never going to be able to hit in the major leagues.

LaRoche with a nice easy swing for an RBI single to right with the bases loaded, puts the Nats back up by 2. Bo holds Danny Espinosa at third, probably rightly; still loaded, still only one out. Double-switch for the Padres, as Micah Owings comes in. They might have doubleswitched to get Owings to the plate sooner, this being the Padres and all.

Nice inning! You stats geeks…what do they call it when someone is markedly better with runners on? Because it sure seems to me that Werthnis such a guy. I figure there are numbers that tell the story; I just don't know about them.Also…even though the ball didn't wind up over the plate much, I was impressed by how much that ball moved. I know. I know, it's not supposed to move that way or in those places, but one pitch looked like it did a 70 degree turn at the plate.

I'm sorry that I've been distracted by a couple of other things during this game–but I've had MASN on the whole time while running around the house.This is cool. The best offensive production in several games. But I didn't see Brad Lidge warming up out there, did I?!?

Johan Santana has made four starts, and most of them have been very good.- The Mets have not scored a single run for him while he’s been in the game.from http://www.youcantpredictbaseball.comSo no need to feel picked on.

Looks like Davey once again asked Gorzo to save the bullpen. This time he got a save … and a save of the bullpen which has been overworked. This why Johnson wanted to long relief/spot starters in his bullpen. And why John Lannan might not ever get out of AAA unless there is a catastrophe injury wise to the starting rotation. He just can't do what Stammen and Gorzelanny have done. And, at this point I think I would trust Gorzelanny or Stammen taking the ball if a starter went down before Lannan … There's still CM Wang …Phil Wood said he was going to do some research and see if the Nats could option Wang to AAA … or if his contract precluded it. Anyone here know the answer to that? NFA Brian Oliver used to be able to solicit those kind of answers using his backdoor to the Nats farm folks …

mick said…"My friend in 2005 we were 50-32 and finished 81-81."True, but there's no comparison between that team and this one. The 2005 team was made up mostly of has-beens and also-rans. A lot of aging veterans who got off to a hot start and snuck up on some people, but they weren't built to last. This is a team of young guns on their way up. Just learning how to win. That and far superior pitching should carry this team through 162 games. Not that I expect them to win 100 games, but especially with this pitching, I don't see a second-half collapse, either. This team is perfectly capable of playing .500 ball the rest of the way, and that's really all they need to do.

I'm not saying it NatsJack … Byron Kerr of MASN and Jim Callis are saying it … still think Moore won't be called up dude?There is a new employee with D.C. power who has been working for the satellite company most recently in Syracuse, New York. With a franchise-best 68 homers in less than three years, this player needs to be camping out in left field at Nationals Park as soon as possible.It is time to call up Tyler Moore."There's no reason not to call him up," Baseball America executive editor Jim Callis said. "Moore is 25 and he's hit throughout the minors, so it's not like he needs more seasoning. Some scouts question if he'll hit for much average, but the power is real and the Nationals could use some of it, even when they're off to a 13-4 start."

mick said…"My friend in 2005 we were 50-32 and finished 81-81."The big difference isn't the starters as much as the bullpen. Its waaay better than the bullpen in 2005 which featured only 2 guys it could rely on. The Chief like young John Patterson burned out his arm during that campaign.That ain't going to happen with Davey in charge. His 2 bullpen tandem that he alternates isn't just designed to survive the long season and thrive, with the power arms it has its designed to win short, critical series. If the Nats do make the playoffs watch out because right now they are showing they have what it takes to potentially win.

I heard just yesterday on the radio that they have a new technique for using ultrasound to figure out exactly where to position cortisone shots.Natslady there's a reasonable risk of morbidity using cortisone shots. You can actually damage and create more atrophy in the muscle unless its done carefully. Its why your orthopedist only uses it as a last resort. A better solution would be to use … yes, steroid (testosterone cream) on the shoulders which is an optimal location to place it. Of course that is currently illegal in major league baseball … 😉 But, I'm here to tell you that it can work. Both for Morse and Zimmerman.

Speed watched via DVR, very confused by the runs scoring. Our guys had a couple of plays they could have done better, but SD looked very 2007 Nats ( I.e., flat, no fundamentals, and lacking talent). The 2012 Nats look pretty strong. LaRoche may be the team MVP so far this year. His defense has always been apparent, his hitting strong all year, and now it turns out he can run the bases too.

I don't have a prediction on when they will or won't call up Moore, but I know I would like more production in the outfield. I feel guilty suggesting Bernadina might be the appropriate guy to go, but Nady has a better track record and Bernadina might still draw a c level prospect in return. Baseball Prospectus wrote that Brown might be better than Bernadina so its also possible he could be the guy.

Raises hand. (What can I say? I'm one of those nerds who keeps score. :-))Section 222 said… Sec3, you get a save for pitching the last three innings, regardless of the margin of victory? who knew? April 25, 2012 8:40 PM